The Coming of Carrington
The Coming of Carrington is the second short story in the anthology Spitfire Parade which covers the exploits of Biggles and his R.A.F. 666 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. This story was a reworking of Hard Case Carrington, a story with a First World War setting first published in Air Stories in October 1939. The Coming of Carrington was adapted as a graphic comic strip in Le Bal des Spitfire, first published in French in 1992, written and drawn by Francis Bergèse. Synopsis Tug Carrington reports to 666 Squadron. Air Commodore Raymond had warned Biggles that he would be a particularly difficult case but Tug proves he can be relied upon to pull his weight within a few minutes of his arrival. Plot (click on expand to read) Biggles prepares for the arrival of Tug Carrington. Air Commodore Raymond has warned him that Tug would be a particularly difficult case. According to Raymond, he has "an inferiority complex which he tries to hide with a show of cheek". He has his own ideas about aircraft handling and "his flying is ghastly to watch". Indeed, his initial interview with Biggles does not go smoothly. A spit-and-polish superior might have been exasperated by Tug's attitude but Biggles handles him deftly. His introduction at the mess goes no better. Tug takes exception to what he considers a sarcastic remark by Bertie. And when the other members smile at his ordering a milk with soda to drink. The atmosphere turns explosive but is fortunately relieved by the appearance of an enemy bomber overhead. The squadron scrambles out but Tug is the first at his plane which he has only just brought in. He takes off to engage the enemy bomber. His flying, as Raymond predicted, is ghastly to watch, but in a series of manouevres which defy gravity and the laws of aerodynamics, he succeeds in shooting down his adversary before coming back for an equally hair-raising landing. His flying may not be the sort taught in the best schools, but it works, Biggles says. When Carrington next orders barley water in the mess, nobody smiles. Characters *Biggles *Algy Lacey *Ginger Hebblethwaite *Toddy *Bertie Lissie *Tex O'Hara *George "Ferocity" Ferris *Tug Carrington Aircraft *Supermarine Spitfire *Junkers Ju 88 Places Visited *Rawlham Mentioned Research notes Biggles mentions that Tug came from "Naval Eight" and Johns adds a footnote explaining that this is a famous coastal unit. No. 8 (Naval) Squadron, R.N.A.S. served with distinction during the First World War and was renumbered as 208 Squadron R.A.F. after the war. The only problem is this squadron never served in the Battle of Britain. It was stationed in Egypt at this time of the war. There is another squadron, No 8 Sqn R.A.F. but again this was in North Africa during the Battle of Britain. Johns had written another non-series short story So This is War which had as characters Bertie, Ferris and Tex but without the 666 Squadron and Biggles context. In this story, Ferris was the one with the lightweight boxing title at Blackfriars ring. When this story and Hard Case Carrington were reworked for Spitfire Parade, the boxing background was given to Tug Carrington who now had a flyweight title at Blackfriars. Comparison with original story *The characterisation of Tug Carrington in both stories is similar in almost every detail. Both were described as having an inferiority complex, both were insubordinate, chewed gum, were flyweight champions and had been born on a Thames tugboat. The differences are in several plot elements: **In both Coming and Hard Case, Tug performs a dangerous but ultimately successful landing. Only in Coming is Tug chided (by Biggles) for the landing. Tug responds that what he handles, be it women, dogs or aircraft, he handles rough, so that there would be no doubt as to who was boss. The reprimand and explanation for the dangerous landing is not present in Hard Case. **In Coming, Tug explains his reason for his objection to alcohol: his father would flail him whenever he was drunk, which was every night. This explanation is not included in the earlier story Hard Case. **The manner in which Tug proves his worth to his squadron is different. In Hard Case, Tug shows his intelligence and imagination, leading him to propose a strategem which resulted in his squadron winning an air battle. Tug says to his flight commander that his father taught him to fight with his brains as well as his fists. This sentence is not found in Coming. In this latter story, Tug wins his squadron mates' respect by a feat of dare-devil flying which led to him shooting down a bomber which had just attacked their airfield. **In the earlier story, Tug ends by asking for some ginger beer. In the latter, he asks for barley water. The reason for the change can only be speculated at. *Consider the additions to Coming which, in at least two cases, involved stronger language, it almost seems as though Johns was writing for an older demographic in Spitfire Parade. References to the past Incongruities Chronology References Category:Short stories Category:Biggles short stories Category:World War Two era short stories